Kumamoto Prefecture is in the center of Kyushu, It is bordered by the Ariake inland sea and the Amakusa archipelago to the west, Fukuoka Prefecture and Oita Prefecture to the north, Miyazaki Prefecture to the east, and Kagoshima Prefecture to the south. The capital of Kumamoto-prefecture is Kumamoto-city. Mount Aso, an extensive active volcano, is in the east of Kumamoto-prefecture. This volcano is located at the center of the Aso caldera.     Kumamoto City Situated roughly in the center of Kumamoto-prefecture, is the  government and economic center of the prefecture. From the early 17th century to the end of the 19th century, Kumamoto was prosperous as a castle town. The Shira-kawa River and its branches run through the downtown area around Kumamoto Castle.   Aso One of the must visit tourist destination in Kyushu. The world’s largest caldera and the active volcano give a lot of excitements.  And numerous unforgettable experiences in the rural area can be mede including Onsen, variety of sports and local cuisines.   Kurokawa Onsen One of the most popular hot spring resort, located on the northern  side of  Mount Aso . Widely known for its open-air baths, it is one of the best places to enjoy the atmosphere of old town in Japan, where more than 20 Inns （Ryokan）and gift shops standing in a row along the Tanoharu River, a headstream of the Chikugo River.   Amakusa Located in a southern part of Kumamoto City.  It provides ideal spots for viewing the saw-toothed …

Kumamoto Prefecture travel guide…の続きを読む

  Oita Prefecture is on the north-eastern section of Kyushu. It is bordered by Miyazaki Prefecture to the south, and Fukuoka Prefecture and Kumamoto Prefecture to the west. The prefecture is a representative Onsen Resort area in Japan, total boasting hot spring sources and hot spring flowing volume are both Japan’s largest. Most recommended Onsen Resorts are Beppu and Yufuin.     Beppu Onsen Resort where the largest hot spring yield in Japan. The popular hot spring town nestle at the foot of volcanos, Mount Yufu and Mount Tsurumi. Boasting more than 2,800 hot spring sources and flowing rate of nearly 137,000 kiloliters per day, Beppu is considered a paradise of hot springs famous for high therapeutic effects.   Yufuin A beautiful and tranquil Onsen Resort, Yufuin is located about 15 km west of Beppu and is spreading in the Yufu basin at the mountain foot of Yufu.  Onsen Resort life can be enjoyed at the beautiful and tranquil  place harmonized with nature in the basin of mountain hill area.   Okubungo Nature-blessed region at Ono River basin, the northern part is surrounded  by Aso & Kuju Mountains. Okubungo consists of Takada,  Kuju, Kusu, Kokonoe, Bungo-ono and Ogata.   Usa and Ajimu Located at the base of  Kunisaki peninsula and spreading around  Usa Shrine. Since ancient time the Kunisaki peninsula has been home of Kyushu’s prominent Usa Shrine, influencing the surrounding hills and valleys with Buddhist culture. Although this is a Shinto shrine,  it has long been holy ground to both Shinto and Buddhist activities.   Kunisaki peninsula Rural area centered on mount Futago, pilgrimage, trekking, onsen, local cuisines …

Oita Prefcture travel guide…の続きを読む

Saga Prefecture is located in the northern part of Kyushu and are adjacent to Fukuoka Prefecture in the east and to Nagasaki Prefecture in the west. The north side faces Genkai Quasi-National Park with scenic coast line. In the south, the Saga plain that is adjacent to Ariake Sea is spreading. The capital of the prefecture is Saga City.     Saga City It faces the Ariake Sea on the south and is home to Saga Airport. In the center of the city is the Saga Castle History Museum, which also serves as the city’s symbol. The castle itself is no longer standing, but the main keep has been reconstructed, resulting in one of the largest wooden structures in Japan.   Karatsu and Yobuko Located on the Higashi Matsuura Peninsula in the north-western part of Saga-prefecture, have been prosperous from ancient times as an important point for trade with Mainland China. Karatsu is a part of Genkai Quasi-National Park, and has many scenic spots.   Takeo Located in the western part of Saga-prefecture. The hot spring temperature is 18 to 52 degrees. Spring quality is smooth with alkaline simple hot spring.  It is said that the color is colorless and transparent and has an outstanding effect on recovery from fatigue.   Ureshino Onsen Resort The hot spring town in south western Saga Prefecture. Its clear onsen waters are high in sodium bicarbonate …

Saga Prefecture travel guide…の続きを読む

  Fukuoka Prefecture is located on Kyushu Island, Japan. Its capital is Fukuoka City. It is the ninth most populous prefecture in Japan. As the gateway to Kyushu, Fukuoka is the perfect destination for those looking to explore beyond the well-trodden paths of Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto to discover a new corner of Japan.     Fukuoka City   The gate way to Kyushu and is the biggest cosmopolitan city in Kyushu.  Due to its location Fukuoka-city is the great starting point for exploring Kyushu. Fukuoka-city has a long history as commercial town and castle town, and prospered as important district to Asian Continent for many years.     Kitakyushu City Kitakyushu-city is blessed with spectacular & stunning natural feature and have one Natioanl Park, and two Quasi-National Parks.  And the city is the Industrial Innovation city with many  fascinating features.  The combination of industrial zones and rich nature areas are creating  the most dynamic Night  view in the World.   Dazaifu  Historical place Dazaifu About 1300 years ago, in Dazaifu, there was a  government office to manage the entire Kyushu  for a long period of 500 years at the present Dazaifu. There are numbers of historical sites which reflect to the ancient history of Dazaifu Tenmangu shrines in Japan.    Yanagawa A beautiful canal town Yanagawa, Canal boat cruise can be enjoyed while experience the atmospheres of Japanese castle town. The estuary town facing the Ariake Sea through the Chikugo River and Yabe River. People started to live here since ancient times and the agriculture and fishery have been engaged in by making Horiwari literary means the artificial canal.   Itoshima A Resort town belonging to Genkai Quasi-National Park located next to  Fukuoka-city. Itoshima is facing Genkai Sea that the dynamic wave …

Fukuoka Prefecture travel guide…の続きを読む

  Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining are a group of historic sites that played an important part in the industrialization of Japan in the Bakumatsu during National isolation period and Meiji periods, and are part of the industrial heritage of Japan. The UNESCO World Heritages consist of eight areas with thirty component sites located throughout Japan from Northern part Tohoku to Kyushu.   Kyushu has 5 areas with 16 sites as follows; ・Kitakyushu : 4 sites for Iron and Steel ・Miike (Omuta, Arao and Misumi)  : 3 sites for Coal Mining ・Saga : 1 site for Shipbuilding ・Nagasaki : 5 sites for Shipbuilding and Coal Mining ・Kagoshima : 3 sites for Iron and Steel     Kitakyushu   The four sites of Yawata Steel Works in Kitakyushu area have been inscribed as Iron and Steel Industry. The buildings of The Imperial Steel Works, Japan at Yawata Works NSSMC are the surviving components of Asia’s first successful integrated iron and steel works: the State-run Imperial Steel Works opened in 1901. It is located in the northernmost part of Fukuoka Prefecture, the north end of Kyushu, 8 km south of Hibiki-Nada Seashore close to the continent of China. Their present-day setting is still a working industrial landscape set in the southe-astern section of NIPPON STEEL Yawata Works which, for over a century, has consistently maintained …

UNESCO / Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industri…の続きを読む

                           The only remaining lenticular truss bridge in Japan  ( lens type truss bridge), located at the south side of Kawachi Reservoir and it was designed by Hisanori Numata and completed in 1926. This shape and color really harmonize with nature and become a symbol of the Iron town Yahata.    

Minami Kawachi-bashi bridge…の続きを読む

  The the building for the Head office of the Imperial Steel Works was constructed in 1899, two years before commencement of Japan’s Steel Industry. The design of the building is a harmony of European and Japanese architectural styles. The construction of the structure below the roof is a European style and uses red bricks for the outside walls.   Aiming to symbolize a Good future for Japan, the roof was designed with a traditional Japanese triangular shape and Japanese tiles were used to complete the roof.  The building was initially used as a Head office until 1922, however with the expansion of production facilities, the Head Office was moved to another place due to lack of space. After that, the building was used for various purposes such as a Research and Developing Center for Steel Products.   World leading rail produced in the Steel Works First Head Office registered on the World Heritage Observation deck of the World Heritage    

First Head office of the Steel Works…の続きを読む

  Built in 1910 on the east bank of the Onga River. It served, and still serves, to deliver  industrial water to Yawata via an 11.4 km pipeline. This supply is integral to the steel  production process and was necessary to cope with the 1st phase expansion of the  Imperial Steel Works. The site has been registered on the UNESCO World Heritage, Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution     Onga River  Onga River Pump Station  Water piping to the Steel Works  

Onga River Pump Station…の続きを読む

  The tree is more than 600 years old, the total area of its scaffolding structure at 3,000 square meters and its longest flower clusters measuring in at 150 centimeters, the tree looks truly spectacular when it blooms.     The Wisteria Festival takes place between mid-April and early May, adjusted to coincide with the blooming of the giant wisteria tree located on the Susano Shrine grounds.     During the festival, stalls line the grounds of the shrine, and a Sake brewery in the town is open to the public for tours.    

Kurogi large Wisteria tree…の続きを読む

  This is the Japan’s first constructed Reflectance Furnace. In the late Edo period when the necessity of maritime defence increased, the Saga clan built the Tsukiji Reflectance Furnace for making cast iron-made Western cannons and completed in 1850. And then, the cast iron cannon was manufactured the first time in Japan in 1851. The reflectance furnace was greatly contributed for initial stage of Japan’s Industrial Modernization.      

Tsukiji Reflectance Furnace…の続きを読む